1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of BFE. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The play takes place in the late 90s at the beginning of the school year. The setting is basically in some town in the middle of nowhere. Panny is Asian American and the main character. She is a freshman in high school. There is her mother, Isabel, and her uncle, Lefty. There is her best friend Nancy and a new guy Panny meets named Hugo. 2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
I would say the intrusion is when Panny's mom tries to give her plastic surgery for her birthday. Here is where Panny's self consciousness begins to show. She sees herself as ugly and eventually finds comfort in a relationship with Hugo, who can't see her. 3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This is the day Panny begins to tell her story. The beginning monologue brings up a memory she has about her life. She then begins to tell us about her life in the form of several flashbacks as we learn what happened to her. 4. State the dramatic question or questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
I believe the dramatic question is whether or not Panny will get surgery. Or in other words, will she learn to love herself the way she is or submit to society's standards of beauty. In the end, she succumbs to society's standards after the horrible ordeal she experiences. 5. Use Panny, Isabelle, or Lefty to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is the dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Trifles the wants of Ms. Hale change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles for one of the three designated characters..
I think Isabelle's main want is that she wants to be in love or at least loved by someone else. The main obstacle that stands in her way is herself. She cannot bring herself to leave her own home. She also is a little mentally unstable, having hallucinations about an old war general. Isabelle expressed that she wanted to go outside, however, her own dependence on the stable environment of her home is too hard to leave. I think it is only herself that stands in the ways of her wants. 6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. In your estimation what is the most theatrical moment in BFEand what happens during that moment which is so important to the outcome of the play?
I believe the most theatrical moment in the play is when Panny is talking to Lefty after reading Elizabeth's letter. Here we learn how Panny truly sees herself and her first consideration of getting plastic surgery. We also learn how she sees Lefty and even learn a little about Lefty's character through her. 7. Provide at least three examples of images in BFE. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
The light in the sky is one image. It represents truth and one's ability to see if depending on the direction they are looking.
Another image may be the phone. Through the phone, Panny begins to express herself to a man named Hugo. However, at the end of the play after all the horrible actions have happened, the phone rings and she doesn't answer it.
Another image may be Panny's bloody eye bandages. For the entirety of the play Panny has wanted to feel beautiful. Isabelle brought in the temptation of plastic surgery and Panny had managed to stay away from it for a while. However, finally submitting to the temptation brought her no joy. And she cried as the blood bled through the bandages 8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in BFE.
Social norms is one theme in the play. Panny nor her mother identify Panny as someone who is conventionally pretty. Thus, Panny struggles with herself over it. Another theme could be isolation. Isabelle has found a way to isolate herself from the rest of the world and even Panny isolates herself from her family to a small extent. 9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with BFE? Is family redefined in BFE and if so, in what ways?
The mother daughter relationship contributes a lot to the play. Its Isabelle's opinions about Panny that really make Panny aware of her looks. Panny's relationship with Lefty is healthier, however, in the end, she turns him away after all the trauma she's suffered.
The play takes place in the late 90s at the beginning of the school year. The setting is basically in some town in the middle of nowhere. Panny is Asian American and the main character. She is a freshman in high school. There is her mother, Isabel, and her uncle, Lefty. There is her best friend Nancy and a new guy Panny meets named Hugo.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
I would say the intrusion is when Panny's mom tries to give her plastic surgery for her birthday. Here is where Panny's self consciousness begins to show. She sees herself as ugly and eventually finds comfort in a relationship with Hugo, who can't see her.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This is the day Panny begins to tell her story. The beginning monologue brings up a memory she has about her life. She then begins to tell us about her life in the form of several flashbacks as we learn what happened to her.
4. State the dramatic question or questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
I believe the dramatic question is whether or not Panny will get surgery. Or in other words, will she learn to love herself the way she is or submit to society's standards of beauty. In the end, she succumbs to society's standards after the horrible ordeal she experiences.
5. Use Panny, Isabelle, or Lefty to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is the dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Trifles the wants of Ms. Hale change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles for one of the three designated characters..
I think Isabelle's main want is that she wants to be in love or at least loved by someone else. The main obstacle that stands in her way is herself. She cannot bring herself to leave her own home. She also is a little mentally unstable, having hallucinations about an old war general. Isabelle expressed that she wanted to go outside, however, her own dependence on the stable environment of her home is too hard to leave. I think it is only herself that stands in the ways of her wants.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. In your estimation what is the most theatrical moment in BFEand what happens during that moment which is so important to the outcome of the play?
I believe the most theatrical moment in the play is when Panny is talking to Lefty after reading Elizabeth's letter. Here we learn how Panny truly sees herself and her first consideration of getting plastic surgery. We also learn how she sees Lefty and even learn a little about Lefty's character through her.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in BFE. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
The light in the sky is one image. It represents truth and one's ability to see if depending on the direction they are looking.
Another image may be the phone. Through the phone, Panny begins to express herself to a man named Hugo. However, at the end of the play after all the horrible actions have happened, the phone rings and she doesn't answer it.
Another image may be Panny's bloody eye bandages. For the entirety of the play Panny has wanted to feel beautiful. Isabelle brought in the temptation of plastic surgery and Panny had managed to stay away from it for a while. However, finally submitting to the temptation brought her no joy. And she cried as the blood bled through the bandages
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in BFE.
Social norms is one theme in the play. Panny nor her mother identify Panny as someone who is conventionally pretty. Thus, Panny struggles with herself over it. Another theme could be isolation. Isabelle has found a way to isolate herself from the rest of the world and even Panny isolates herself from her family to a small extent.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with BFE? Is family redefined in BFE and if so, in what ways?
The mother daughter relationship contributes a lot to the play. Its Isabelle's opinions about Panny that really make Panny aware of her looks. Panny's relationship with Lefty is healthier, however, in the end, she turns him away after all the trauma she's suffered.